U.S. patent number 3,880,434 [Application Number 05/435,501] was granted by the patent office on 1975-04-29 for sealing device for shaft of machines.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique. Invention is credited to Pierre Echard, Jean Louis Lacourieux.
United States Patent |
3,880,434 |
Echard , et al. |
April 29, 1975 |
Sealing device for shaft of machines
Abstract
The device is constituted by a first dry-friction seal which
prevents a first fluid from penetrating into an intermediate
chamber, a second dry-friction or lubricated seal which prevents a
second fluid from penetrating into the same intermediate chamber,
the chamber being intended to collect leakages of the first and
second fluids and being in turn divided into two compartments
separated by an annular device for receiving an auxiliary fluid
which is intended to prevent mixing of the first and second fluids,
each compartment being connected to a circulation system for
recovering the mixture of auxiliary fluid with said other fluids
respectively through corresponding extraction orifices.
Inventors: |
Echard; Pierre (Chabeuil,
FR), Lacourieux; Jean Louis (Bour Les Valence,
FR) |
Assignee: |
Commissariat a l'Energie
Atomique (Paris, FR)
|
Family
ID: |
9113995 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/435,501 |
Filed: |
January 22, 1974 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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|
|
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Jan 29, 1973 [FR] |
|
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73.03049 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
277/348; 277/361;
277/418; 277/429; 277/431; 277/424; 277/408; 277/365; 277/401 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16J
15/342 (20130101); F16J 15/40 (20130101); F16J
15/004 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F16J
15/00 (20060101); F16J 15/40 (20060101); F16J
15/34 (20060101); F16j 015/40 () |
Field of
Search: |
;277/3,15,16,22,27,57-65,70,71,72,79 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Smith; Robert I.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Cameron, Kerkam, Sutton, Stowell
& Stowell
Claims
What we claim is:
1. A sealing device for shaft ends connecting two machines
containing respectively fluids which have to be prevented from
mixing with each other, wherein said device is constituted by a
first dry-friction seal which prevents the first fluid from
penetrating into an intermediate chamber, a second dry-friction or
lubricated seal which prevents a second fluid from penetrating into
the same intermediate chamber, said chamber being intended to
collect leakages of the first and second fluids and being in turn
divided into two compartments separated by an annular device for
receiving an auxiliary fluid which is intended to prevent mixing of
the first and second fluids, each compartment aforesaid being
connected to a circulation system for recovering the mixture of
auxiliary fluid with said other fluids respectively through
corresponding extraction orifices.
2. A sealing device according to claim 1, wherein the orifices of
one of the two compartments are protected against any powdered
deposits produced by the first and second fluids or as a result of
contacting of said fluids by means of a centrifuging device mounted
on the rotary shaft.
3. A sealing device according to claim 1, wherein one or both of
said compartments are in turn divided into two half-compartments by
means of a deflector, each half-compartment aforesaid being
connected respectively through one or two orifices to two
extraction circuits.
4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said annular device for
separating the intermediate chamber is constituted by at least two
rotary cheeks rigidly fixed to the shaft, each rotary cheek
aforesaid being placed against stationary spacer members at the
minimum distance permitted by the expansion of the assembly, said
spacer members being fitted in position against the shaft at the
minimum distance which permits frictionless rotation of said shaft,
a spacer member being pierced radially by a duct which has its
opening between the two cheeks and through which an auxiliary fluid
is introduced between the two compartments aforesaid.
5. A sealing device according to claim 4, wherein each cheek is
provided on at least one face with tracks in the form of spiral
grooves.
6. A sealing device according to claim 1, wherein said annular
device is constituted by a stationary distributor-ring which is
fitted in position against the shaft at the minimum distance which
permits frictionless rotation of said shaft, said distributor-ring
being provided with a circular groove which surrounds the shaft, a
duct being formed in said distributor-ring up to the circular
groove in order to supply said groove with auxiliary fluid.
7. A sealing device according to claim 6, wherein said
distributor-ring is constituted by two half-rings assembled
together, an annular slot being formed between the two half-rings,
the rate of flow of fluid within said annular slot being lower than
the rate of flow in the duct through which the auxiliary fluid is
supplied.
8. A sealing device according to claim 6, wherein said
distributor-ring is connected to the stationary portion by two
leak-tight flexible membranes, the duct for supplying the
distributor-ring with auxiliary fluid being such as to have its
opening between the two flexible membranes aforesaid.
9. A sealing device according to claim 6, wherein said
distributor-ring which is elastically mounted around the shaft is
connected to a fixed spacer member by means of a leak-tight bellows
seal in concentric relation with the shaft which applies said
spacer member in leak-tight manner against another spacer member
connected to the stationary portion, the duct for the supply of
auxiliary fluid being intended to open between the two spacer
members aforesaid.
10. A sealing device according to claim 6, wherein said
distributor-ring is provided at the level of the friction surface
against the shaft with a stack consisting of a plurality of annular
components of lubricating material, said annular components being
maintained in relatively spaced relation by means of
distance-pieces and applied in frictional contact with the
shaft.
11. A sealing device according to claim 6, wherein said
distributor-ring comprises two annular components which are
self-centered on the shaft by the stream of auxiliary gas which
escapes between said components and said shaft, said two annular
components being applied in leak-tight manner by means of an
elastic device which tends to maintain them in spaced relation
against two thrust-bearing rings carried by said distributor-ring,
the auxiliary fluid supply duct being located within the
distributor-ring between the two self-centered annular
components.
12. A sealing device according to claim 1, wherein said annular
device is constituted by one or two seals which operate on the
hydrostatic or aerostatic principle by means of the auxiliary fluid
having leakages which are distributed within the two
compartments.
13. A sealing device according to claim 1 in which the supply of
auxiliary fluid is put into communication with the atmosphere.
14. A sealing device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary
gas is nitrogen.
Description
The invention relates to sealing devices for leak-tight shaft ends
and to machines adapted to receive said devices.
In machines such as pumps, compressors, motors which operate with a
number of different fluids, it is necessary to provide the shaft
ends with sealing devices for preventing contamination of one fluid
by the other fluid or leakage of these latter into the atmosphere.
Among the fluids which frequently have to be protected against
contamination can be mentioned the lubricating oil used in bearings
of machines which serve to process a toxic or simply precious
corrosive fluid.
The aim of the invention is to provide a sealing device which
ensures both isolation of the two fluids within the respective
enclosure and prevents any leakage to the atmosphere which might be
liable to occur.
In accordance with the invention, said device is composed of a
first dry-friction seal which prevents a first fluid from
penetrating into an intermediate chamber, a second dry-friction or
lubricated seal which prevents a second fluid from penetrating into
the same intermediate chamber, said chamber being intended to
collect leakages of the first and second fluids and being in turn
divided into two compartments separated by an annular device for
receiving an auxiliary fluid which is intended to prevent mixing of
the first and second fluids, each compartment aforesaid being
connected to extraction orifices corresponding to a circulation
system for recovering the mixture of the auxiliary fluid with the
first and second fluids respectively.
The description relates to non-limitative examples of construction
and refers to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the sealing device;
FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 illustrate alternative forms of
construction of the device in accordance with the invention.
There is shown in FIG. 1 a shaft 1 and a sleeve 2 fixed on said
shaft in a manner which is not illustrated. The shaft 1 can be
common to a machine such as a compressor in which one end of the
compressor casing is shown at 3 and to its driving motor in which
the ends of the motor housing are shown at 5. Alternatively, said
machine and said motor can each have their own shaft coupled
together by means of any suitable system.
The casings of the two machines are connected together by means of
an intermediate sleeve 24 which can serve as a sealing component
and also take part in the relative centering of the two
machines.
The sleeve is fitted with static seals which ensure leak-tightness
between the two machines and the surrounding atmosphere.
On the side nearest the motor at the bottom of the figure, there is
shown a first seal composed of a collar 6 which is fixed in
leak-tight manner on an annular shoulder 4 of the shaft. Said
collar 6 forms a runner face for a floating ring 7 which is joined
to the motor housing 5 in leak-tight manner by means of an O-ring
seal and in an elastic manner by means of springs 8 applied against
an annular flange 9 which is secured to the housing. A bellows seal
which ensures leak-tightness can advantageously replace the device
described in the foregoing. Similarly a deflector 10 is fixed on an
annular shoulder of the shaft.
On the compressor side at the top of the figure, there is shown a
collar 11 which is fixed in a leak-tight manner on the sleeve 2.
Said collar 11 serves as a runner face for a dry-friction seal
consisting of the ring 12 which is attached in an elastic manner by
means of a bellows element 13 to an annular member 14 which is in
turn positioned angularly and in a leak-tight manner with respect
to the packing gland 24 by means of a ring 15. A centrifuging disc
16 is fixed on the shaft whilst two cheeks 17 and 18 separated by
an annular packing-piece 19 are fixed in leak-tight manner on the
sleeve 2.
The reverse configuration can be adopted as a function of
technological and thermal considerations: the rings 7 and 12 can be
mounted on the shaft as rotating parts while the collars 6 or 11
which serve as runner faces are in that case rigidly fixed to the
elastic device.
Spacer members 20, 21 and 22 which are fixed in leak-tight manner
in the packing gland 24 are placed astride the two cheeks 17 and 18
with a minimum clearance which permits displacement of the rotating
assembly as a result of mechanical play and expansion. Said
clearance is of the order of 0.5 millimeter. As shown in FIG. 1,
the cheeks 17 and 18 are fitted on at least one of their faces with
spiral-shaped grooves for the purpose of enhancing the centrifugal
effect and permitting the discharge to the periphery of solid
elements which circulate or are formed between cheeks and spacer
members.
There is pierced in the spacer member 21 and in the packing gland
24 a duct 23 for the admission of an auxiliary sealing fluid A, the
flow path of said fluid within the interior of the device being
indicated by arrows.
Moreover, the annular member 14 which forms the base-fitting of the
bellows element is provided with an open portion over a sector and
is connected by means of a hole formed in the packing gland 24 and
a duct 25 to a recovery system which is not shown in the drawings.
Said duct 25 is intended to ensure the discharge of the mixture of
the first fluid 6 and of the auxiliary fluid A as indicated by the
arrows.
Similarly, there is shown at 26 a duct which is formed in the motor
housing 5 for the admission of the second fluid L which is a
lubricant, for example. Another duct 27 is intended to collect the
greater part of leakages of the fluid whilst a third discharge duct
28 formed in the packing gland 24 is intended to collect the
mixture of leakages of fluids A and L through the deflector 10.
The operation of the device takes place as follows. The three
systems provided in said device delimit four enclosures having
different functions. The end enclosures communicate with the
leak-tight casings of the machines such as, for example, a motor
and a compressor containing fluids G and L which must be prevented
from mixing with each other and from leaking into the atmosphere.
There is shown at the top portion of FIG. 1 the first enclosure
which is designated by the reference I and contains the fluid G.
Said enclosure is limited by the casing 3 of the compressor, the
packing gland 24, the ring 15, the annular member 14, the bellows
element 13, the ring 12 (all these components being stationarily
fixed), the collar 11 fixed on the sleeve which is in turn fixed on
the rotary shaft 1. It is apparent that dynamic leak-tightness is
ensured by the seal formed by the two members 12 and 11.
A similar arrangement delimits the enclosure which is located at
the other end and designated by the reference IV at the bottom of
the figure whilst a fluid designated as L (in the form of a
lubricant, vapors or aerosols) being supplied to the enclosure
through the inlet duct 26. This enclosure is limited by the motor
housing 5, the annular flange 9, the O-ring seal, the floating ring
7 (all these components being stationarily fixed), the collar 6
which forms a runner face being fixed on an annular shoulder of the
shaft 1. Dynamic leak-tightness of said enclosure IV is ensured by
means of the frictional seal between the components 6 and 7.
Between the two sealing systems 6-7 and 11-12 which are thus
formed, there is defined an intermediate chamber limited by the
shaft 1, its sleeve 2 and the packing gland 24. Said intermediate
chamber receives the leakages of the fluids G and L and is in turn
divided into two compartments. One compartment which is designated
in the figure by the reference II is formed between the friction
seal 11-12 and the seal which is constituted by the assembly
consisting of the cheek 17 and the spacer member 21. The other
compartment which is designated in the figure by the reference III
is formed between the seal 6-7 and the seal which is constituted by
the assembly consisting of the cheek 18 and the spacer member
21.
It is apparent that leakages of fluid G through the seal 11-12 have
a tendency on the one hand to escape through the duct 25 and that
the leakages of fluid L through the seal 6-7 have a tendency on the
other hand to escape through the ducts 27 and 28. These leakages
can be either recovered or destroyed.
The auxiliary sealing fluid A which is admitted through the duct 23
at a pressure which is higher than each of the discharge pressures
within the ducts 25 and 28 escapes between the seals formed by the
cheeks 17 and 18 and the spacer member 21 and forces back the
leakages of fluids G and L respectively into their compartments II
and III which contain the mixtures on the one hand of the fluids G
and A and on the other hand of the fluids L and A which escape
through the ducts 25 and 28 respectively.
The auxiliary fluid A which is intended to be mixed with the first
fluid (6) and second fluid (L) is chosen especially as a function
of its chemical affinities with these latter. By way of example,
said auxiliary fluid can be nitrogen or in some cases air. If the
ducts 25 and 28 are connected to a suction circuit, the duct for
the fluid A can accordingly be constituted simply by putting into
communication with the atmosphere.
When the fluid G is liable to form solid deposits, the sleeve is
fitted with a dispersing device 16 which maintains the deposit in a
finely divided state at the orifice of the duct 25 in order to
prevent clogging of this latter.
In order to limit the quantity of fluid L which would be mixed with
the auxiliary fluid A, there is fixed on the shaft 1 a deflector 10
in which the clearance between the outer rim of said deflector and
the packing gland 24 is reduced to a minimum value. In this manner,
the greater part of leakages of L through the sealing system 6-7 is
discharged through the duct 27, thus reducing the proportion of
fluid L in the mixture of L with the fluid A which escapes through
the duct 28.
The sealing system which divides the intermediate chamber formed by
the seals 6-7 and 11-12 into two compartments designated by the
references II and III and which is constituted in FIG. 1 by the
combination of the cheeks 17 and 18 and spacer members 20, 21 and
22 forms the subject of alternative embodiments which will be
described with reference to the remaining figures.
In FIG. 2, leak-tightness is achieved by means of a
distributor-ring 29 which is mounted in leak-tight manner within
the packing-gland 24; the clearance provided around the ring has
the minimum value imposed by the relative displacements of the
shaft, namely a few tenths of a millimeter. Substantially in the
central portion of said distributor-ring, there is formed a
circular groove 30 in order that the auxiliary fluid A which is
admitted through the duct 23 can be distributed around the entire
ring and permitted to escape towards the compartments II and III
respectively.
One disadvantage of this system lies in the fact that the clearance
between the distributor-ring and the sleeve is relatively high and
results in a high consumption of auxiliary sealing fluid.
FIG. 3 shows an alternative form in which the distributor-ring is
designed in two sections 32 and 33 between which is formed an
annular slit 31 having a smaller cross-section than that of the
duct 23 for the admission of auxiliary fluid A.
The rate of flow of the auxiliary sealing fluid A is thus reduced
but retains high velocity and a uniform distribution, thus
contributing to leak-tightness between the two compartments II and
III described in the foregoing.
In the alternative form of FIG. 4, the distributor-ring 34 is
mounted in an elastic manner by means of two leak-tight membranes
35 having a low degree of radial stiffness on a supporting-ring 36
which is secured to the packing-gland 24. The fluid A penetrates
through the duct 23 into the space formed between the membranes and
is admitted between the distributor-ring 34 and the sleeve 2
through a plurality of ducts 37 which traverse said
distributor-ring.
In this system, it is apparent that the distributor-ring 34 can be
slightly displaced with respect to the stationary portion and can
therefore be adjusted so as to fit much more closely against the
sleeve 2 and to follow the lateral displacements of this latter.
These clearances are therefore much smaller and the consumption of
fluid A is reduced accordingly. In the case of a higher velocity of
flow within the clearance space, the fluid A additionally provides
an aerostatic lifting film which prevents any contact between the
two components. In the alternative form of FIG. 5, the
distributor-ring 38 is made up of two floating sections between
which the auxiliary sealing fluid can be injected. This
distributor-ring 38 is connected to the stationary portion by means
of a bellows seal 39, said seal being in turn attached to the
spacer member 40 which is fixed on the packing gland. Another
spacer member 41 which is fixed on the same packing gland serves as
a support for the distributor-ring 38 which is thrust against this
latter as a result of the elasticity of the bellows seal 39.
FIG. 6 shows a distributor-ring 42 which is stationary with respect
to the packing gland and on which annular components 43 formed of a
solid lubricating substance such as polytetrafluoroethylene have
been mounted on each side of the annular groove 30. Said annular
components 43 are mounted so as to be in tightly fitting contact
with the sleeve 2 and spaced axially by means of distance-pieces so
as to form expansion chambers between said components. In the event
of friction, said annular components 43 undergo creep deformation
or wear, thus automatically achieving an assembly with minimum play
and reducing the consumption of fluid A.
In the alternative form of FIG. 7, the distributor-ring 29 which is
secured to the packing gland 24 contains two annular components 44
and 45 which are applied axially against two strengthening members
47 and 48 by means of a number of springs 46. In consequence, said
annular components 44 and 45 are each capable of radial
displacement with respect to the distributor-ring 29 and thus of
following the slight irregularities of rotation of the shaft
(defective roundness, vibrations and so forth); the clearance
between said components and the shaft can thus be of a low order,
namely a few hundredths of a millimeter.
In the systems described in the foregoing, it will prove
advantageous to coat the surfaces which delimit the clearance space
with an anti-wetting product such as polytetrafluoroethylene, for
example, in order to prevent migrations of the fluid L towards G by
capillarity.
FIG. 8 shows a slightly different system in which leak-tightness
between the two compartments II and III is achieved by means of an
aerostatic or hydrostatic thrust member of known type. There is
shown in this figure a member 52 which forms a runner face andis
fixed in leak-tight manner on the packing gland 24. Another support
49 in the form of an annular plate is fixed on the sleeve 2 which
surrounds the shaft.
A bellows seal 50 is attached to the supporting member 49 aforesaid
and serves to retain a ring 51 which is applied by elasticity of
the bellows seal 50 against the member 52 which forms a runner
face. The auxiliary fluid A is introduced through the duct 23 and
then through the duct 53 into the interface of the sealing system
51-52. By means of this system, leak-tightness is ensured in a
known manner between the compartments II and III and a controlled
leakage of the fluid A takes place towards these two compartments
as indicated by the arrows.
In an alternative form of this system which is shown in FIG. 9, the
member which forms a runner face 55 can be fixed on the shaft and
is therefore capable of rotation whilst the ring 56 can be
connected to the packing gland by any leak-tight and elastic
system. In this case, the supply of fluid A can be carried out, for
example, through a duct 57 which extends longitudinally through the
shaft.
In a second alternative form of construction of this system which
is shown in FIG. 10, the ring 58 can be fixed on the shaft and is
therefore capable of rotating whilst the runner-face component 59
is applied elastically against the ring by means of bellows seals
60 forming a leak-tight chamber which enables the auxiliary fluid A
to penetrate into the interface of the sealing system 58-59.
There has thus been described a sealing device for a leak-tight
shaft end providing a coupling between two machines containing
fluids which are not intended to be mixed and must not be permitted
to escape into the atmosphere. The device has been applied to a
motor compressor set.
The compressor was supplied with uranium hexafluoride UF.sub.6
which had to be free from any contamination by the vapors or
aerosols of the lubricating oil of the bearings. This device has
withstood fluid pressures of 50 to 2,000 millibars. The
differential pressure between the compressor and the intermediate
chamber was usually of the order of 20 millibars but could attain
200 millibars. The auxiliary fluid employed was nitrogen.
The rate of friction of the seals was 20 meters per second and
could attain 30 meters per second. The average service life of this
device is within the range of 25,000 to 45,000 hours.
In addition to these outstanding properties of rugged construction
and small maintenance requirements which contribute to a high
degree of reliability, it is also worthy of note that this system
is of specially compact design and has been constructed in the form
of an interchangeable unit, thereby representing a substantial
economy in the change of packing.
* * * * *